Alternative absence policy template

Overview

The purpose of this policy is to cover rules for any employee needing to take time off work for reasons other than holiday or sickness.

Scope

This policy is applicable to all employees of [company name].

General principles

Religious holidays

Subject to complying with the relevant provisions as to notice and to the requirements of the Company's business, you will normally be allowed to use your annual leave entitlement to observe special religious holidays.

Jury service and other public duties

Should you be called up for jury service or required to attend court to give evidence as a witness, you must notify your line manager as soon as reasonably practicable. Time off work will normally be granted in these circumstances. You will be required to provide a copy of the court summons to support your request for time off work.

You have no contractual or statutory right to be paid for time not worked due to jury service or other related public duties. Any payment of salary made by the Company during this period is done so in its absolute discretion and will be subject to the deduction of any monies received from the court in respect of loss of earnings. You must therefore submit a claim to the court for loss of earnings and claim the full allowance available to you.

If on any day on which you attend court you are told that your services are not required, you must then return to work and report to your line manager before starting work.

Membership of the reserved arned forces

If you are a member of the reserved armed forces, you may use your paid annual leave entitlement to carry out your duties, provided you comply with the provisions relating to paid annual leave set out in the section on Holidays. The Company expects you to use your paid annual leave first before applying for further time off.

Otherwise, any further time off relating to membership of the reserved armed forces will only be granted at the absolute discretion of the Company and you have no contractual or statutory right to be paid for this leave. Any payment of salary made by the Company in such circumstances is done so in its absolute discretion. If you wish to apply for this type of leave, you should apply in writing to [insert name of contact] stating the period of leave requested and the reasons for it.

Medical appointments

Appointments with doctors, dentists and other medical practitioners should, as far as reasonably practicable, be made outside of your normal hours of work or with the minimum disruption to the working day, i.e. made at the beginning or end of the working day.

Time off work to attend medical appointments must be authorised by your line manager in advance. In any event, unless there are exceptional circumstances, no more than two hours should be taken off work for any one appointment. You have no contractual or statutory right to be paid for absences relating to attendance at medical appointments. Any payment of salary during attendance at such appointments is made at the absolute discretion of the Company.

Compassionate leave

Subject to your statutory right to time off to deal with a family emergency, if you suffer a bereavement or serious illness in your family or in a close relationship, compassionate leave must be approved by your line manager. All requests for compassionate leave will be considered on an individual basis.

There is no contractual or statutory entitlement to be paid for absences relating to compassionate leave. Any payment of salary during compassionate leave is made at the absolute discretion of the Company.

Subject to your statutory right to time off to deal with a family emergency, the Company expects you to use your paid annual leave entitlement for time off needed to care for sick relatives or friends.

Special unpaid leave

The Company may, in certain circumstances, consider requests for special unpaid leave, for example, for the purposes of education, family responsibilities or for important personal reasons. However, the Company expects you to use your paid annual leave first. Otherwise, any further time off for special reasons will only be granted at the absolute discretion of the Company and you have no contractual or statutory right to be paid for this leave. If you wish to apply for special leave, you should apply in writing to [insert name of contact] stating the period of leave requested and the reasons for it. Requests for special leave will be assessed on their individual merits and circumstances. Special leave is operated entirely at the discretion of the Company and it may be withdrawn at any time.

General

Failure to return from leave and report for work on the due date of return without reasonable excuse is a disciplinary offence and will be dealt with in accordance with the Company's disciplinary procedure.